My Hilti Story: Career Development and Motherhood

In the warehouse in Lewisville, Texas, my desk sits between Hilti legends John Decker and Travis Pearison. Sandwiched between 60+ years of experience, I get a daily reminder of the Hilti difference and where it can lead you. Decker can without hesitation answer any question about the warehouse you could possibly ask. Travis can move a hundred miles a minute and cares immensely about the team members as if they were family. Both are passionate about their jobs and make a real difference, bringing value to the organization each and every day.

From Intern to Full Time

My Hilti journey is much closer to its beginning. I started as a Financial Logistics Analyst intern only a few years ago in the Summer of 2022. Freshly graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas, and I was eager to apply my background in coding and logistics to the real world. Throughout the internship, my eyes were opened to the power of data, and I got to make lasting memories with my then team. My manager at the time encouraged me and other interns to meet one-on-one with the different Directors in Operations.  These meetings not only provided the incredible benefits of networking but helped me get a broader understanding of how the different functions of operations worked and integrated with one another. We also were encouraged by HR to utilize different development tools that capture what I am good at and what I enjoy doing.

Working with Hilti tools during internship.

Choosing the Right Path for My Career

Fast forward to the end of that Summer 2022, I was hopeful for the possibility of being offered a full-time role at Hilti, but I also felt that a position in Finance was not for me. I wanted to explore areas more closely aligned to my logistics background and IT skills. There is a reason Hilti’s foundation is of a “passionate” team, because I believe passion brings productivity and positive change. It was important to me to find a place where I could learn and challenge myself, bring value to my company, and find joy in my work. I was anxious in the beginning that it might be difficult to develop into other roles within the organization, but time and time again I met with different team members who all shared how Hilti had helped them develop and supported them in their career journey.

After meeting with Peter Clark, the Director of Warehouse Management, I knew I had to get a position on his team. The roles of a Process Expert in warehouse management aligned perfectly with what I enjoy doing, and I knew that if given the opportunity, I would drive a change in the network. I also consider myself a big logistics nerd, so I was excited about the idea of getting to work in an actual warehouse and seeing data come to life.  I met a second time with Peter to share my goals and gain his insight. Both he and my then manager were very supportive, and a few weeks later, I got a call with an offer!

Thriving Through Support and Growth

The leaders at Hilti have always been huge advocates for my development. Since joining the Warehouse Management Operations Excellence team, I have been able to develop standardized reporting for leadership, improve numerous processes, and learn more than I ever imagined. Recently I earned a promotion to Process Expert I, and I start every day excited about what I do. That’s not to say there are not some days where I may get frustrated by something I’m still learning or not find as much joy from one task to another. As a Christian, I remind myself daily of this excerpt from the book of Colossians that states “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” I wrote this on a sticky note on my first day of work, and it is still pinned to my desk today. I try to always put my whole heart into my work. I care about Hilti’s goals and driving value every day, and I know that the company cares about my goals and my value as well.

At Hilti, my story goes beyond career aspirations and shows how Hilti cares about your life aspirations. I married my husband the weekend before I was supposed to start my internship and before even stepping foot in the building, Hilti graciously allowed me to delay my start date by a week so I could enjoy my honeymoon. Hilti has also helped with education financial benefits for my graduate degree, through which I have been able to learn more about databases and analytics to continue the drive of automation and data standardization throughout the organization.

Annabelle with daughter, Rosemary and husband.

Hilti's Support Beyond the Workplace

The best example of Hilti’s caring culture however is when I transitioned into my new life-stage of being a mother. I gave birth to my daughter, Rosemary, in July of 2024, which has turned my world upside down in all the best ways. When my 12-weeks of maternity leave was up, while I was excited to return to work, I was also was struggling with anxiety as a first-time mom. I experienced the all-too-common moments of post-partum depression and separation anxiety from my daughter. Understanding how I was feeling at the time, my leadership and HR team extended my leave by 4 weeks of unpaid leave in addition to Hilti’s 12-week paid leave policy to support my transition back to work. That was exactly the support I needed, and it made all the difference between how I felt leading up to my planned return date. I went from struggling with my anxiety to being able to confidently return to the office.

Annabelle and daughter Rosemary

There are more great benefits I utilized since becoming a mother, such as a variety of health insurance options, 5 days per year of in-home childcare, and funds towards a doula that I used to help me during post-partum recovery. Hilti also offers flexible work arrangements like remote work. However, I know that with my personal style of work, I thrive and produce my best work in an office environment and not at home. Again, Hilti leadership and HR went above and beyond, they supported my decision to work slightly reduced hours. With my new schedule, I can focus on my work efficiently and still drive the same value as before while being able to spend more time with my daughter. Instead of being treated as another cog in the wheel, HR and management worked with me to maximize my potential in the workplace and in my family life.

With Hilti team members.

Inspired by Those Who Came Before Me

Sitting between Decker and Travis, I get to see how Hilti takes care of its team members long-term, and how its team members truly are the foundation of the organization. Both have taken different paths that led them to where they are today and when life happened their leaders supported them. Now, many years later the organization remains true. They have demonstrated the same care for me as a newlywed, an intern, a new team member, and now as I have entered a new life stage as a mom. Being both a mom and a business professional comes with its challenges, but I’m confident my future at Hilti is bright thanks to the supportive tools and opportunities they’ve provided to help me succeed.

For anyone who can learn to identify and articulate their goals and desires in life, and however they may change in time, Hilti will empower you to take ownership of your development journey and will help you get where you want to be.

Explore Opportunities at Hilti

Joining Hilti has allowed me to discover a career where I can grow, make an impact, and be happy. Want to join me and the team?  Learn more and explore our opportunities in North America and worldwide here: Jobs | Hilti Careers